TBI agents charge Lebanon scam suspect for second time

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents again charged a Lebanon man accused of running a scheme to steal money from investors.

At the request of 15th District Attorney Tommy Thompson, TBI agents started an investigation on Brad Joseph Moss, 44, on Nov. 13.

In the latest arrest, agents said Moss contacted one of his investors June 16 to make a payment of $1,000. When he met the investor at his bank, agents said Moss asked if he could write a check for $1,250 more than the amount due and have the additional money given back to him in cash. The investor agreed, but a few days later, learned from his bank the check was returned for insufficient funds. Through the investigation, TBI agents determined Moss knew the check would be returned at the time he wrote it.

On Friday evening, a TBI agent charged Moss with one count of theft. He was booked in at the Wilson County Jail and released after posting $25,000 bond. A court date was set for Sept. 9.

At the time of his arrest Friday evening, Moss was out on bond for indictments returned by a Wilson County grand jury May 14, charging him with nine counts of forgery in connection to the same investment scheme.

At that time, agents said they developed information Moss ran an investment operation in which he sought money from individuals to build a carwash since 2010. However, instead of funding the project, Moss used the money personally or repaid former investors, agents said.

During the investigation, agents also developed information Moss forged his grandmother’s signature on several documents he used to secure some of the investments, including credit in her name at several lending institutions. Overall, the scheme totaled about $5 million.

On May 12, a Wilson County grand jury returned indictments on Moss, charging him with nine counts of forgery.

A TBI agent arrested him May 14 without incident. Moss was released from the Wilson County Jail on $75,000 bond. He has since had an initial court appearance May 29 on those charges.